Earth scraping and grading machine



(No'Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

J. TRETHEWAY, J1. EARTH SORAPING AND GRADING MACHINE.

No. 369.824. Patented Sept. 13, 1887.

Simon/woz "YM 6MM 9v N. Pneus Phowuuwgapw, Winningen", n..c.

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

. J. TRETHEWAY, Jr. BARTH SGNAPING AND GRADING MACHINE.

.NO- 369,824. Patented Sept. 13, 1887.

N. PETERS mvumampm. wuhingm, n, c.

UNITED STATES 'PATENT Omron.'

JOHN TRETHEWAY, JR., OF sToOKTON, CALIFORNIA.

EARTH SCRAPING AND GRADING MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 369,824, dated September 13, 1887.

Application filed April 7, 1687. Serial No. 234,084. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN TRErHnwAY, J r., a citizen of the United States, residing at Stockton, in the county of San Joaquin, State of California, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Earth Scraping and Grading Machines; and Im do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of my said invention, reference being had to the drawings that accompany and form a part of this specification.

My invention relates to improvements in machines for roadways and for use in similar engineering operations where earth is to be leveled or removed from one place and deposited or distributed on another place, as in leveling land.

The nature of these improvements consist in certain novel construction and combination of scraping element, endless traveling aprons or carriers, and means whereby adjustment of the same is produced to change and adapt the machine to different conditions of work, these parts being mounted and arranged in a wheeled frame or truck, for operation as hereinafter set forth.

The following description fully explains the manner in which I produce, construct, and operate a machine in accordance with said invention, the accompanying drawings, in three sheets, being referred to by figures and letters.

Figure l of the drawings represents a side view ofthe machine with the last endless discharging apron or carrier omitted. Fig. 2 is a plan of Fig. l. Fig. 3 is a view taken from the rear and showing more particularly the removable apron or carrier by which the materialas sand or earth-is discharged and deposited to one side or the other.

A A represent horizontal timbers and A A2 uprights,that form the frame of the machine. The main axle and,wheels,on which the frame is carried, are seen at B and B', respectively, about midway in the length of the truck. The front is carried by a pair of wheels and an axle, B2 B3, to which a draft-pole, C, is attached. This axle is connected to the frame by a gooseneck, B4.

D is a suspended frame attached by a hinged 5o joint at D to the under side of the longitudinal timbers, and on these points as centers capable of being raised up or down to take a position more or less inclined, or to be raised high enough to clear the surface of the ground at the forward or leading end.

Eis a scraper in the form of :a at plate about equal in width to the hinged frame or part D and attached by a joint, E', to the leading end of this part in such manner that it can be raised or depressed to bring the front edge up or down and regulate the depth of its penetration into `the surface as the machine is moved forward.

The front end of the part D is attached at the sides to hangers or suspension-bars F F, that are pivoted at the upper ends tothe arms g of a rock-shaft, G, and a hand-lever, H, is fixed on this shaft in position with respect to a notched segment, h, on the truck-frame to furnish a means for turning andholding the rockshaft.

The front end of the scraper is attached by bars FF in the same manner to a second rockshaft, G', having its own hand-lever, H', and a locking-segment, hx, for` it on the truck-frame. The hinged part D is also the support and carrier for the lower roller of an inclined apron or endless carrier, L, of which the higher end is supported on the rear ofthe truck-frame. This apron passes under and clears the axle B', and is provided wi th suitable slots or projections to hold and carry the material on its inclined traveling surface. The roller I is journaled in the sides of the frame D, and the upper roller, K, is carried in boxes on t-he upright frame at the rear.

Mis a sprocketwheel on the shaft of this upper roller, and N a chain connecting it with a wheel of the same character on the shaft P. This shaft is driven from both wheels of the truck by means of the spur-gears on the axle and the pinions p p on the shaft,after the man ner used in harvesters and other agricultural machines to transmit and apply power from the traction wheels to a driving-shaft. In such constructions it is the practice, also, to connect the pinions by clip-clutches to the shaft in such manner that the pinions are locked during the forward movement of the traction-Wheels, but are allowed to slip and relieve the shaft and its bearings, and the mechanism connected to the shaft, when a re verse movement of the wheels takes place. This construction is employed by me also,and

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the pinions are therefore set loosely on the shaft and connected by the usual spring clutches or couplings to slip when a backward movement of the machine is made,-or when one wheel remains stationary, as in turning short curves. No clutches are shown in the drawings, but the niode'of applying them will be readily understood by the mechanic.

R is an endless belt set directly over the plate E and armed with a number of knives or thin bars of sheet metal, 1 r. It is mounted on the rollers S S, and is driven from one of the main spur-wheels by a pinion, SX, on the shaft of the upper roller. The lowerroller is carried by the hangers F F and at such distance above the plate E that the edges of the blades r shall run close to the surface.

The parts consisting of the scraper E, the belt R, and the inclined endless carrier L act together to cut or scrape and take up the material from the surface over which the machine isbeing drawn, and from the higherA end of this apron the material is discharged upon a second apron, T, which is mounted in a detachable and movable frame, T,(shown in Fig. 3,) to extend laterally to one side or to the other of the machine, according toadjustment. This apron T is carried by rollers tt,that are set in boxes at thel ends of the side boards of the v frame T, and each roller is providedv with a pulley, V, to take a belt from the pulley W, of a counter-shaft, W', on the main frame. There is one of these counter-shafts W at each side of the machine, receiving motion from the upper roller through bevel-gears WIl W3, vand the roller that is uppermost when the frame T is set is belted to the pulley WV on the opposite side by the belt Y, as shown in Fig. 3. By providing double sets of driving-pulleys in this manner I am enabled to shift and set the apron T quickly from one side to the other,as required in the work. This is done by throwing off the belt Y and pushing the frame T on its rests or supports in the upright frame from one side to the other, and then raising it to the required elevation and putting the belt onto the opposite pulleys.

In changing the apron from the right-hand side, as represented in Fig. 3, to the opposite side thereof, the roller and pulley that is outside and lowest will be the inside and highest, and will take the driving-belt from the lefthand counter-shaft pulley. It should here be observed,also, that provision is madefor setting and running this apron T out from the rear end of the frame to deliver the material directly behind the machine, if desired. In such case the upper roller is driven from a pulley, V3,provided for the purpose on the rollershaft.

In operating with my improved machine, the scraper is adjusted to the conditions ofthe surface by means of the hand-levers H H,and the scraper and frame that carries its higher 4end,and also the lower end of the endless elevating apron israised up to clear any obstruetions in the path that could not be removed or taken up by the machine.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim,and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The herein-described leveling or grading machine, consistingofasuitableframemounted on wheels, the driving-wheels B, shaft P, and pinionsp p, the hinged frame D,supported at the outer end by hangers provided with means for raising and lowering them, the scraper E, attached to the forward end of the frame and supported at its front end by hangers F F, having means for raising and lowering them, theinclined elevating-apron L, its driving-shaft K, the pulleys and belt, and the dischargingapron at the tail of the machine.

2. The combination of the main frame A A and the inclined elevating-apron, the drivingshaft P, roller-shaftK, havinga pulley,W, and counter-shafts WV W', geared to the roller-shaft and having the pulleys W W on the outer end thereof, and the shifting'discharge-apron T, mounted in the movable frame and having pulleys V, substantially as described, for operation as set forth.l

3. The combination, with the short hinged frame D, and roller I carried thereby, and apron L,passing over said roller, arms F,shaft G, and lever II for raising and lowering the said frame, of a-scraper, E, adj ustably secured upon the frame D, arms F,shaft G', and lever H'for raising and lowering the scraper, roller S, having bearings in arms F', and roller S', having-bearings in the frame A, and the belt R run over said rollers S S above the scraper, as and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto set my hand and seal.

JOHN TRETHEVAY, J R. [L s] Witnesses:

R. E. WILHOIT, Gno. E. WILHoIr. 

